Albany , New York -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The number of Americans living in states covered by same-sex marriage laws has more than doubled after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed a bill into law that gave gay and lesbian couples the right to marry .

Cuomo signed the measure after it passed a Republican-controlled Senate on Friday night , raising questions as to whether the move reflects new momentum in the gay rights movement .

Cuomo said the law will grant same-sex couples equal rights to marry `` as well as hundreds of rights , benefits and protections that are currently limited to married couples of the opposite sex . ''

A few of those are the right of inheritance , employer health benefits and a host of state tax benefits .

That will not include Social Security benefits through a spouse , because that is a federal benefit .

The controversial law passed by a narrow 33-to-29 vote -- a first for a GOP-led state Senate -- making New York the sixth state in the union to legalize same-sex marriage .

But the decision also drew a sharp rebuke from opponents , who spent millions to try to defeat the measure .

`` We worry that both marriage and the family will be undermined by this tragic presumption of government in passing this legislation that attempts to redefine these cornerstones of civilization , '' the state 's Catholic bishops said in a joint statement released late Friday . It was signed by Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan and seven other bishops .

Opponents of the marriage equality law have vowed to take political action against any Republican who voted for the bill .

New York , which gave birth to the gay rights movement in the 1960s , will become the sixth state to allow same-sex marriages . Currently , Massachusetts , Connecticut , Iowa , Vermont and New Hampshire and the District of Columbia grant same-sex marriage licenses .

New York state 's population is 19,378,102 , according to the 2010 U.S Census . The population of the other five states plus Washington equals 15,671,450 : Massachusetts has 6,547,629 residents ,

Connecticut has 3,574,097 , Iowa has 3,007,856 , New Hampshire has 1,316,470 , Vermont has 625,741 and Washington has 599,657 .

The Senate vote came after days of delays that included last-minute negotiations , passing by a slim margin with the support of four Republicans .

Cuomo credited four Republican senators who joined the majority of the state 's Senate Democrats for the passage of the bill -- which is to take effect in 30 days -- saying they were `` people of courage . ''

`` I think it was politically more dangerous for a Republican , '' Cuomo told reporters late Friday . `` The conservative party was threatening them with consequences ... and they did it anyway . ''

A vote on the measure , which the Assembly passed June 15 , had been stalled in the Senate . But it turned a corner late Friday , according to Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos , after lawmakers agreed on an amendment to protect religious groups from litigation that had been pushed by Republicans .

The Assembly passed a new version of the bill that included the amendment about religious institutions .

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg , who courted Republicans to approve the bill , called the vote a `` historic triumph for equality and freedom . ''

`` In recent weeks , I have had many conversations with our state senators . I emphasized that not only is marriage equality consistent with bedrock American principles , but it is also consistent with bedrock Republican Party principles of liberty and freedom -- and the Republicans who stood up today for those principles will long be remembered for their courage , foresight , and wisdom . In fact , 10 or 20 or 30 years from now , I believe they will look back at this vote as one of their finest , proudest moments , '' Bloomberg said in a statement released shortly after the vote .

CNN 's Mary Snow contributed to this report .

@highlight

NEW : The number of people living in states covered by same-sex marriage doubles

@highlight

Catholic bishops in New York rebuke same-sex marriage law

@highlight

Same-sex couples can get married in New York within 30 days

@highlight

Law provides hundreds of other state benefits formerly out of reach